President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday, July 5, stressed the importance of strengthening the country’s agriculture sector, saying the administration cannot do many things unless it is fortified.
“Food supply is such an important part; it is an existential part of our work. And so that is something that we have to be very, very careful with and attend to properly,” he said at his first press briefing in Malacanang.
Marcos, who concurrently heads the agriculture department, said his recent visit to the Department of Agriculture (DA) was to “get a good idea of exactly what needs to be done.”
“And that of course when I was in the Department of Agriculture that was mostly concerned with the food supply in the next two quarters,” he said.
“I’m sure you are all aware of what’s happening around the world. You have all seen the effects of the increasing food prices to all consumers everywhere. And this is what we are anticipating --- could happen if we are not well prepared,” the President continued.
According to Marcos, there are many elements of the variables that have caused the “food price crisis.”
“The food price crisis many of the elements, if not all, have been variables that over which we have no control,” he noted.
Despite this, the President said the country needs to feed its people.
“And so we still have to find strategies to make sure that those who are --- those who are in need are supported by the government as best as we can do,” said Marcos.
During his meeting with officials of the DA, the President ordered them to ensure that there is sufficient and affordable food in the country.
As such, Marcos told them to increase the country’s production of rice and corn as he was foreseeing a possible food crisis.